Perhaps you’re like many of those I talk with. You feel powerless. Stuck. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

And it seems that no one cares.

Well, you’re right! NOBODY CARES that you’re tired, sick, powerless, and stuck. At least nobody else on earth. Not really. Not enough to really make a difference. Not the kind of difference that will make you healthy and strong.

Nobody really cares that much about your wellbeing:

Not your doctor

Not your pharmacist

Not the hospital

Not the government

Not your health insurance company

Not your employer

Your doctor really does have your best interest at heart (I know; I am one!), but she can’t be with you every day. The government tries to institute policy that improves public health, but they don’t know anything at all about you. Your health insurance company is making decisions based on profit, and those decisions may or may not be good for your health.

And when it comes down to it, do you really want to leave your health in the hands of someone else? Anyone else? Certainly not some impersonal monstrous corporation, someone who may have competing interests, or some person or committee that may be thinking about thousands – or millions – of people instead of you!

Here’s the cold hard truth: No one cares about you and your health more than you do!

But that’s really wonderful news. You don’t have to leave your health – or your healthcare – up to anyone else!

I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth goodwill to men.

Every year during the holiday season I hear from those who wish Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s didn’t exist on the calendar. It’s usually not because they thing giving thanks is wrong, or that they don’t believe in the miracle of the Christ-child being born in Bethlehem. No, it’s usually because of their own sadness, loneliness, or hurt.

Seeing others looking happy at holiday events, hearing upbeat Christmas music on the radio, being unable to escape the commercialism and decorations and images of joy – all that can make your own heart bleed if that’s not where you are right now. There are many for whom Christmas is anything but merry.

Perhaps that’s you. Perhaps the family gatherings you anticipate are certain to be filled with more conflict, anger, or trauma than joy. Or perhaps you have no family gatherings to anticipate at all. Perhaps you’re facing your first Christmas without someone you loved. Perhaps memories of Christmases past bring up feelings of fear, shame, or regret. Or perhaps the season only serves to remind you of what feels like a total lack of loving people in your life.

None of us goes through life baggage-free. But some of us seem to accumulate more than our fair share of negative stuff in the “personal relationships” category. That type of baggage often sets a person up for misery or failure if and when they get married. Preparing for marriage can seem like preparing to be hurt, damaged, exploited, or just another “statistic” in a long list of failed and miserable life experiences.

But such misery or failure is not inevitable. I want to share with you what I learned about preparing for marriage – and doing it successfully – even while carrying bad baggage in that department. When I told my friend Evelyn Davison my story, she said “You’ve got to share this with people! There are lots of them who need to hear this.”

The messages, models, and memories I had accumulated growing up did not afford me a very positive outlook when it came to marriage. I knew intellectually that God created marriage, intimacy, and families, and that He intended it all to be “very good!” But I also had my own bad baggage that interfered with my emotional reactions to those topics.

You probably either know or know of someone who developed dementia as they got older. Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia – is feared by more adults than any other disease except cancer. But dementia is not inevitable. While you may not be able to guarantee how your mind will function in the future, there’s much you can do to effectively prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

“Senior moments” may lead many middle-aged individuals to worry if these are early signs of dementia. Forgetting where you left your keys or missing an appointment because you forgot can be scary. It’s reassuring to know that most people experience such “senior moments” as they get older, and only rarely do these indicate impending dementia. There’s no need to worry unless these are accompanied by other more serious symptoms, or they begin to affect your daily functioning. Other people who know you well can also provide feedback; if your spouse notices a personality change, or if your coworkers are concerned that you’re no longer doing your job adequately, it’s time for further evaluation.

Alzheimer’s disease is a complex disorder involving the death of brain cells. Tangles involving the neurons in the brain, deposits of abnormal proteins such as amyloid, and other specific changes all contribute to this cell death. As more brain cells die, the remaining brain cells eventually become unable to pick up important functions such as memory, communication, and judgment.

Most of us really don’t know. And perhaps that’s a good thing. We don’t know when the next life-altering event will change things forever. If we did know, we’d probably either be too scared to do anything at all, or put off making any necessary changes until the last possible minute. But by not knowing we’re at risk of being unprepared. How would you live today if you knew for sure that it would all end tomorrow?

In truth, there are any number of things that could happen. And many of these things are likely; we just don’t know when they’re going to happen.

Would you live any differently if you knew that one of these things would happen soon?